Astounding Visuals, Unique Story

Rating: 8/10 (22 October 2005)

This a "sleeper," a very good film few people have heard about. The ones who have reviewed it here obviously know about it and you can see by their comments how well-liked it is.....so if you haven't seen it, check it out. In North America, it's called "The Legend Of 1900."
The movie is definitely unique, about a man who spends his entire life on board an ocean liner and is a fantastic piano player. The best thing about this film, to me at least, was not the story- which I did enjoy - but the cinematography. Wow, what a great-looking film. Speaking of looks, Melanie Thierry is gorgeous. Too bad she has only a small part in this movie.
It was nice to see Tim Roth play something other than a detestable villain and Clarence Williams was fun as the arrogant "Jelly Roll Morton," who comes aboard ship to challenge Roth to a piano duel, which has to be seen to be believed. Can you say "outrageous?"
This was filmed by the same man who did the much more well-known Italian film, Cinema Paradiso, and if you appreciate how good-looking that film is, well, this is even better!